The Sk​i's the Limit This Winter

December 11, 2008

Last year marked a record-setting ski season for American resorts with 60.5 million skier visits, according to the National Ski Areas Association. This year, many ski enthusiasts are faced with tighter budgets and new economic challenges that have them searching for ways to save without giving up their annual trip to the mountains.

When looking to cut vacation costs, it all starts during the booking process. Top travel experts share the following tips for ski savings:

· Consider your lodging location. While "ski in/ski out" locations offer the convenience of walking out the door and hopping on the lift, opting for lodging a little farther from the mountain can save you cash. And most ski resorts offer free shuttle services with stops throughout town, so getting to the slopes is not a hassle.

· Look for alternative lodging. For families and groups, alternative lodging like vacation rentals can be much-less-expensive than booking multiple hotel rooms. Check out vacationrentals.orbitz.com for more than 30,000 properties around the world.

· Ski on off-peak dates. Busy holiday weekends, including Martin Luther King and President's weekends, can be more-expensive and very busy. If you want to save money and avoid long lift lines, think off-peak. Consider weekday, versus weekend, trips, and you'll save even more.